Congress not averse to admitting RSS leaders in party: GPCC

PANAJI: Goa Congress unit today said they were not averse to admit RSS leaders in their fold, if they approach the party.

"We are not against anyone joining Congress party. Even RSS leaders, if they are willing to join and if they approach us, we allow them to join," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Pratima Coutinho said in a press conference.

She was reacting to a question on the recent rebellion within Goa Congress, wherein some functionaries had accused party seniors of allowing RSS leaders to join the party and giving them plum positions.

Former RSS leader Manohar Shirodkar was recently admitted into Congress party and elevated to the post of the GPCC Secretary.

"Congress is a secular party, where it welcomes every person who is ready to accept and work according to the party's ideology," Coutinho said.

"We cannot allow RSS leader in Congress with RSS ideology, but the party has no problem if some former RSS member, who is fed up with the petty politics and ideology of saffron leaders, enters Congress."

Coutinho said Shirodkar had joined Congress as "he was frustrated with RSS".